Man smashes glass door at Mocha Melt Café in Old City after being denied bathroom access

Surveillance shows man smash café door after restroom dispute

Surveillance video shows a man smashing the glass door of Mocha Melt Café in Old City, Philadelphia, after being denied bathroom access.

PHILADELPHIA - Surveillance video shows a man smashing the front glass door of Mocha Melt Café on Market Street just before 10:00 a.m. Monday after employees repeatedly denied him access to the restroom, according to the café’s owner.

Restroom policy leads to confrontation

What we know:

The man can be heard on video asking several times to use the bathroom before grabbing a chair and breaking the door when told no. 

Owner Hamza Bisharat said, "It’s upsetting somebody did this and we have to deal with this. I guess it is what it is. It’s part of the business."

The café recently updated its policy to allow only paying customers to use the restroom because of repeated problems with the bathroom being left in poor condition, Bisharat said.

Neighbors react to café’s challenges

What they're saying:

Old City resident Matthew Lattouf said, "I feel bad. They’ve been a credit to the neighborhood. The place is always busy, people are very nice, the owners are always nice to me." Sophia Malmgren of The Franklin Fountain said, "We used to get our tips stolen pretty frequently. We’ve now drilled holes into our countertops so tips go into a secured area."

The owners estimate the damage from the broken door will cost between $1,500 and $2,000 to repair. 

Bisharat also said their tip jar was stolen about an hour before the door was smashed, and other nearby businesses have reported similar thefts.

Mocha Melt Café’s outlook for the summer

The café’s owners did not file a police report, believing it would not lead to an arrest. Bisharat said, "It’s kind of discouraging, but it can’t stop you from doing what you do. We’ll fix it and move on. Keep going."

The owner is looking ahead to a busy summer with major events like the World Cup, MLB All-Star Game and Independence Day expected to bring more people to the area.

What we don't know:

It is not clear if the man who broke the door has been identified or if any further action will be taken.